Craig Clouston

Eternal Destinations

…shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Never having seen empirical proof of God’s existence, Rod chose to believe God did not exist. Great personal heartache was the reason for his unbelief. On the way home from a school sporting event, his wife and teenage daughter had been killed in an auto accident. Rod couldn’t accept that a loving God would allow such pain. He refused to believe that in a fallen world bad things happen to good people. Instead, Rod chose to blame a God he contended did not exist.

Years had passed when a young couple moved in next door. Rod took an immediate liking to Ken and Jodie. They were the same age Rod’s daughter would have been.

One night, God became the topic of discussion. When Ken saw how Rod postured at the mention of God, he couldn’t help but ask, “Did I say something wrong, Mr. Calvin?”

“I don’t believe in God!” came Rod’s clipped answer.

Ken and Jodie listened as Rod shared about the night his heart and future hopes were shattered. With tears in her eyes, Jodie got up and hugged him. Then she and Ken shared how they had lost a child through miscarriage, and how God had carried them through their grief. Lovingly, they witnessed, silently asking God to confirm His love for Rod.

In a moment of honesty, Rod acknowledged the possibility of a Creator. Over the next six months Ken and Jodie lovingly, yet unashamedly, shared their faith with Rod. Almost a year to the day since they’d moved in next door, Rod gave his life to Christ.

†

Jesus came to bring eternal life, not eternity. Eternity has been in place since God laid the foundations of the Universe. Blatantly denying God’s existence and offer of eternal life does not mean that upon death we simply cease to exist.

It means choose your destination wisely: eternal life with Christ…or eternal separation apart from Him, with the horrific knowledge of having declined His offer of salvation over and over again. Choose quickly. Tomorrow may see the end of our temporal existence.

Prayer

“Lord, make me sensitive to those who, like Rod, refuse to believe and accept Your love. Then use me to help them decide to live forever. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”